What Foods Should I Add?
The Cleveland Clinic and Harvard Health agree that the best foods to fight joint pain and inflammation include fruits, cruciferous vegetables, and fish oil (omega 3 oils). Eat fruits like apples, oranges and anything in the berry family. Cruciferous vegetables are leafy greens like broccoli, brussel sprouts, and collard greens. These foods are high in antioxidants, which can also help diabetes and heart disease in addition to reducing joint pain. Nuts, soybeans, and cold water fish like salmon, contain healthy Omega 3 oils. These oils have numerous health benefits beyond join health.
If you’re a coffee or tea fan and you suffer from joint pain, here’s some good news: organic green tea and caffeine-rich beverages can be highly beneficial to fighting symptoms from arthritis and related conditions. According to the Cleveland Clinic, green tea has been scientifically proven to boost your immune system and reduce inflammation in the body. Coffee contains anti-inflammatory agents as well, so you’re covered no matter what kind of beverage you like!
What Foods Should I Remove?
Just as you should add plenty of healthy eating choices to your diet to reduce joint pain or inflammation, there are also foods you should stay away from. Sugars and carbohydrates, found in pasta, white rice, cookies, cakes, and bread, do not improve joint pain, and often make it worse. You should eat as little red meat, like beef and pork, as possible. Also stay away from meat that has been highly processed, like hot dogs. The Cleveland Clinic recommends keeping your sugar intake as low as possible. That’s six teaspoons a day for women, and nine for men. Healthline also recommends that you limit fried foods and frozen meals, and limit your dairy intake as well. Dairy has a protein in it that can irritate the tissues found around the joints making them more painful.
How Does Diet Affect Arthritis?
These changes may seem drastic—especially if you have a diet that you’ve stuck to for a long time—but they really do work. According to this WebMD article, women who used the so-called “Mediterranean diet” (containing all the foods discussed above) started feeling relief from joint pain and stiffness, while those who made no changes to their diet didn’t feel any better. If you suffer from joint pain, arthritis, or painful inflammation, consider implementing a few of these changes. It may be a simple and effective treatment option. If you continue to suffer from joint pain after adjusting to a healthy lifestyle, Dr. Dominguez offers a variety of options for joint pain like A2M injection therapy. If you need further assistance with joint pain or arthritis, or want information joint replacement, call Dr. Dominguez at 3D Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center for an appointment today! (321) 610-8939
